How to start a personal concierge business from home

Want to start a lucrative home business but not sure what type of business to start?

Then consider working as a personal concierge, sometimes called a personal assistant or household manager. Not only does it allow you to work from home with a flexible schedule, but it falls under the most basic human needs like not having enough time and having too much to do. People are more than willing to pay good money (up to $125 per hour) for an extra set of hands to do something!

What is a personal concierge?

You’ve probably heard of hotel concierges, who assist guests with reservations and show tickets, restaurant suggestions, and other guest needs to make their stay memorable.

As a Personal Concierge, you will assist busy individuals with a plethora of personal tasks, errands and tasks to help them free up their time.

Here is a list of personal concierge services you can offer busy professionals:

• Travel planning
• Schedule meetings
• Make restaurant reservations
• Run errands
• Shop for gifts
• Party planning
• Food shopping and food preparation
• Take pets to the vet
• Pick up dry cleaning
• Pay bills and membership fees
• Home organization
• Internet survey
• Postal packages
• Pick up the kids from school or daycare
• Manage repairs and service settings such as cable or internet
• House and pet watching
• Watering plants
• Queuing for concert tickets, renewals and registrations
• Packing and moving services
• List items for sale on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark or eBay

Being a personal concierge doesn’t require a degree, special training, or a big startup budget; however, you must provide exceptional service, have excellent communication skills and be highly organized.

How much can you earn as a personal concierge?

Now that you know what services a personal concierge provides, let’s talk about how much you can earn. According to Entrepreneur.com, depending on where you live, what tasks you perform, and how many clients you have, you can earn anywhere from $25 to $125 an hour. Some personal concierges work with just one client who manages their entire home life; this is usually called housekeeping.

As a business owner, you will be responsible for paying quarterly self-employment taxes and keeping track of all your income and expenses. This article discusses your financial responsibility as an independent contractor.

How to start a personal concierge service from home?

1. Write a business plan

Many people think that business plans are for people trying to secure funding for their business, but that’s not the case. A business plan is a simple document that guides you through all the different steps you will need to take as a small business owner. It includes what services you will offer, what to charge, how to receive payments, how to trade your business and how to take care of accounting, finance and taxes.

Don’t worry; writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. I have a simple tutorial and a free business plan template here.

2. Business structure

As a personal concierge, you will likely work alone, so choosing a business structure should be relatively easy (Sole Proprietorship). But if you have a partner or want some additional legal protection, you’ll need to file for a partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or S Corporation. Each structure has its pros and cons; speaking with a lawyer or accountant can help you determine which structure best suits your needs in terms of protection and tax liability.

3. Register your business

If you plan to use something other than your own name, you will need to apply for a DBA (Doing Business As). You will also need to research whether someone else is already using the name you want to use. You can do this by searching the US Patent and Trademark website; do not skip this step; you don’t want to infringe on someone else’s trademark. It’s also a good time to look at available domain names for your website and social media profiles.

Depending on where you live, you may have to charge sales tax for your services. This article can help you determine if you need to charge sales tax and apply for a sales tax permit. When in doubt, talk to an accountant who knows your state’s sales tax laws.

You should also look into getting business liability insurance and getting a bond.

4. Finances

You will need to track your business expenses and revenue by opening a separate bank account for your business. You will need an EIN (Employee Identification Number) to do this. Don’t worry; getting an EIN is easy and free if you do it yourself.

Along with a separate business bank account, you’ll need to figure out how to receive payments and what type of accounting software to use. PayPal is a widely used and accepted third-party payment solution that allows your customers to pay by credit card.

You’ll also want to track income and expenses; this can be done on a spreadsheet, but I find that using an accounting platform helps keep things more organized. Platforms like QuickBooks Online and Wave are affordable and easy to use.

5. Create your website

There are many ways available to create a website for your business. If you need a website where people can view your service offerings, pricing, testimonials, and contact form, you can use something simple like Podia. They offer a wide range of affordable plans and different options if you decide to expand your business. Of course, there are many other web platforms that you can use. With so many options to choose from, you’ll want to think about your long-term goals when deciding which one to use.

6. Communication

You will want to designate a separate email account for your business activities. Once you have purchased your domain name and hosting, you will be able to get an email address that matches your business name. Having a separate phone line for your business can be nice, but it’s also an added expense and may not be necessary. Explore different options such as using a smartphone, Skype, Google Voice, Zoom or Viber.

7. Marketing your personal concierge service

Now that your website is ready, you will need to get traffic to your website. Start by setting up social media profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram to promote your business. Place ads on Craigslist, start a weekly newsletter, print business cards, write blog articles, and ask family and friends for referrals.

You may also want to post flyers or promote your new business at your local chamber of commerce. Don’t forget to spend some time every day marketing (promoting) your business.

8. Getting the first client

Now that you have all the essentials in place, you’ll need to secure your first client to start making money. While there are many ways to do this, check out these articles for more detailed instructions.

Of course, it should go without saying that you provide amazing service on time or ahead of schedule. Word-of-mouth marketing will be one of your most effective tools for acquiring new clients and repeat business with existing ones.

One company that regularly advertises these types of roles is Excellence Services, LLC. It is a family-owned company that provides high-level services to wealthy clients. Some of the positions they have on their site are location dependent and others are remote.

Testing the waters before taking the plunge

If you want to try out being a personal concierge or errand runner before investing in starting a business, there are many on-demand apps where you can find out if this kind of work is right for you. Apps like Rover (dog walking), Instacart (groceries and/or delivery), Taskrabbit (cleaning, personal assistant or handyman) or DoorDash (food delivery).

You will be working as an independent contractor with these applications and will be responsible for your self-employment taxes. The advantage of testing the waters this way is that you don’t have to invest any money up front or find your own clients.

If you end up enjoying the job, consider starting your own personal concierge service where you can decide what kind of services you offer and what fees you charge.

Make money by managing your client’s personal life

While I’ve outlined some basic steps to get your personal concierge business off the ground, I highly recommend investing in your personal development by reading books like:

• The Concierge Life: What You Need to Know to Build a Successful Business, Live Your Passion, and Change the World!

• The Concierge Manual: The ultimate resource for building your Concierge and/or Lifestyle Management company

It’s also worth connecting with other personal concierges or assistants to share ideas and resources and have a tribe of like-minded professionals to share your winnings with and get advice from. You can look at organizations like The Concierge Academy, which offers training and coaching, or VA Networking, which trains virtual assistants.

Good luck and let me know your journey!

Originally published March 2015. Content updated December 2024.